Where I’m From

I am from a cul-de-sac full of kids my age, from buttered Cheerios and ATVs (with 3 not 4 wheels).

I am from the house that backed up to the big open field, modest and blue with a playhouse in the backyard that was anything but small.

I am from a vegetable garden that gets bigger every year and feeds my family and friends with its bounty. I am from tulips—purple and white—wrapped in a thick silk ribbon and carried on my wedding day.

I am from a new ornament for the Christmas tree every year—given on the day we decorate.

I am from Cindy and Walt, an artist and a hunter who taught me ceramics and how to shoot a compound bow.

I am from overnight stays at Gam’s where we would eat Ballreich’s potato chips with french onion dip and drink Country Time lemonade from a cup that said “Beer By The Glass” in blue and green type while we watched Golden Girls.

I am from sitting next to space heaters, my body wrapped in an afghan, and from family gatherings where everyone brings a dish to share.

I am from “fight your own battles” when dealing with the neighborhood kids and “I love you” at the end of every phone call from my mom, dad, or grandparent.

I am from a family that never went to church and never spoke much about their religious beliefs or lack there of.

I am from Northwest Ohio, within a 10 mile radius of every move I’ve ever made. I am from cut-out cookies, from homemade french fries—skin on and cut from russets—and fried perch caught with a line and hook.

I am from boxes of photographs—black and white, color, 35 mm and Polaroid, from big cedar hope chests and older chests that look like they belong on a pirate ship—full of posters, trinkets, and bits of ephemera from my youth. The items that remind me of who I am and where I am from. The baubles and bits that I will tell my sons about. The things I just can’t throw away.

This gem seems to be making its way around the web. If you want to do one too, check out this prompt to get you started.

This was so cathartic for me. I have never taken time to think about things in this context, because I’m always thinking about others or I’m distracted by this or that, but it’s helped remind me exactly who I am, and I truly thank you for sharing this, Holly/Pixie. And for you perch people, I can look out my back window and see the perch pond that my husband has worked hard and long to develop – when people come fishing, we’re now at the point we say take ‘em and eat ‘em. Previously, it was catch and release,we gotta let them grow and multiply, but now some of them are way bigger than a frying pan, which is how we do that in our part of Texas. Mmmmmmmmmm, pan fried perch.

Kim—Thank you for delurking and commenting! I’m so glad this was cathartic for you. I encourage you to give it a try—if for only your own sense of peace and solace. It took me several days to write mine and the flood of memories was really powerful for me.

And thank you for the very kind email this morning. Waking up to that sort of made my day. All to often people are quick to spew the negative. It’s rare that I get an email from somebody just to say they enjoyed this little space of mine. I really appreciate you taking the time to send that.